Lodz, 9 February 1928
Beloved and esteemed brother, as well as nephew, and niece,
I have received your letter of January 12 in which you joke
that, for the time being, we should not sit around idly but
rather arrange for ritual circumcisions... I know, Sol, that
your advice was not directed at me because such things involve
young men and young wives, but I...how can I involve myself in
such frivolities and trivialities...? However, my dear and
devoted one, let's put this question off to debate another time
because I have no patience for it right now, even though
patience and pure thoughts are not necessary for it. Yet,
surely, it is always a part of our nature to joke with each
other now and then because if we didn't laugh out loud once in a
while we would long ago have ceased to exist in this sinful
little world. May G-d grant that I will always be able to send
you happy letters as I always love to receive happy letters from
you, because happiness makes a person healthy and energetic.
However, for the time being, my devoted one, I have no happy
tidings to convey to you. So, for example, my sister, Aunt
Estherl, was here with me in Lodz for three days. As I have
already written to you, she has a young girl, eight years of
age, who is suffering from a nasty illness and lying here in the
hospital. She has been lying here for eight weeks already. It
has already cost more than $100, and we don't see the slightest
improvement up to now. G-d knows how long more the illness will
last. The symptom of the illness is that the child has a tremor
in her hand and foot; her mouth is misshapen; she cannot speak
normally. Doctors say that the illness is called plasewica, a
sort of serious nerve strain. They are encouraging and say that
it can be cured, but up to now we see no improvement at all...
And my sister returned home yesterday with a heavy, broken
spirit!
Now, as far as my wife is concerned, I can write that she is up
and around, no longer in bed. However, she goes to the hospital
every two days for treatment. The doctors have recommended that
she be operated on, but neither she nor I are in agreement with
surgery. We hope that she will get better without it. As of
now, it is not getting worse, chas v'cholilah, but better.
Beyond that, everything with us is in order, i.e., I am well,
bless G-d, and our daughter, Balcia, is working. She doesn't
earn much, but it is enough for her clothing. Rifchele is going
to school, is not a bad student and is feeling fine. The state
of her health, thank G-d, is in the best of order. In summer,
the school will send her to summer camp again, and she will be
completely recovered. Further, the apple of my eye, Joseph, is
going to school and to Hebrew school, is not a bad student, is
industrious and capable. His teacher thinks highly of him. May
G-d help me so that I will be able to make a refined person of
him, as our fathers made of us...
Further, as far as making a living is concerned, what shall I
write? We suffer along with 95% of the people. I have already
informed you in my last letter how I wound up with the mill. I
was able to rescue all of my brother-in-law's money, and I also
came out with almost $200. However, as my sister tells me, she
became involved with a loan to them of $100 again right after I
left. The money is not lost, but Lazer will have to wait a long
time until he again sees his money before his eyes.
Further, I am anxious to see the letter that you promised to
write me about Bryndl and her husband. I understand, Sol, that
you are right, not he. However, as far as that is concerned, my
devoted one, don't pay attention to words. Don't be insulted by
your own. Hold your tongue and accept it. Don't get together
often with the sort of people who cause you aggravation and
pain. Be his guest and observe whether, in his home, he gives
better treatment to his wife, his family, his guests than he
does to you as a brother-in-law. I send best regards to my
sister's daughter, Bryndl, and her husband and darling son. I
send heartfelt regards to my dear and precious Ruchele. I wish
her success in her new undertaking. May G-d give her health to
make the ill well. Regards to the apple of your eye, Rifchele,
whom I don't know. Sol, why don't you ever write how your
father is doing as to health and business, etc. If you visit
him once in a while, give him my regards. Here in the family,
we speak of him often and of you too. And how are your
grandmother and grandfather and uncles, et al?
In my last letter, I asked you a question concerning Toronto.
My in-laws and brothers-in-law write fairly good letters. What
do you say, Sol, should I begin to do something about it?
Should I correspond with them or not? Making money here in
Poland is very difficult. It is impossible to make a living
because there is no work. So, since I see that I am living on
the few dollars (that I have) and that I can't think about a
store with a capital of $150-$200, I am now planning to learn a
trade. I want to learn how to make hosiery. I don't know
whether it would be good in America or Canada, but it's
certainly better than sitting around doing nothing because there
is an excess of storekeepers in Lodz, and there are tens of
thousands of hotshots like me gazing at the heavens...
So, with nothing more to write about, I end my letter. With the
most heartfelt of regards, I salute you, my devoted and precious
one. Also, heartfelt and loving regards to my niece, Esther,
and thank her very much for her regards to us. I send her 100
warm kisses. Don't be angry, Sol, because your uncle kisses
your dear wife since, in fact, I am transmitting these kisses
through you yourself. After reading this letter, go home and,
before you go to sleep, read it for your wife and give her the
100 kisses at that very time. If she asks you why your kisses
are so warm and so numerous, tell her that it's not your fault,
that you received them today by mail from your uncle for your
dear wife.
Further, as to your writing that 1927 was not a bad year and
that you are sure that 1928 will be worse, so I write that,
while it gets worse every year, nevertheless it isn't decreed
whether you will make more in 1928 than in the previous year.
In any event, I hope that you will become as rich in America as
Rosenwald of Chicago. Then you would be tempted to come to
Europe for a vacation with your dear wife.
My wife sends her heartfelt regards to you, your wife and
family. Regards to you also from Uncle Lazer, Aunt Estherl,
Uncle Emanuel Lewin and children, Aunt Dina Raisel and children,
Aunt Chaya Rifke Zilberspitz, Yankel Lewin and sons, and many
more whom I don't recall. In a word, regards from Lodz,
Opoczno, Kinsk. Please answer promptly with a long letter with
lots of details.
All material Copyright 1995 by Marshall L. Zissman and Sol J. Zissman.